Naruto Shippuuden 19: A Time To Die
by rylansato
Summary: Konoha has unjustly assessed the actions of Aoba and his team during the fateful mission to Soukutsu. Satori and his team are sent on a mission back to Soukutsu and they can't imagine they only chance to survive lie in the hands of a person not born yet.
1. Secrecy

Naruto Shippuuden: A Time to Die

The pleasant twittering of the birds, the gentle rustling of the breeze through the maple trees, and the rich smell of flowers and freshly turned earth lulled Sohma Yukino into a relaxed state. Next to her was a beautiful young lady who looked a lot like her father and had one green eye and one red eye. She had come from twenty years in the future to save Konoha. She recalled her daughter's words: "To save Konoha." She had declared with determination. But this time they weren't threatened by some enemy village or Akatsuki, problems they knew how to handle. They were threatened by the bureaucracy and politics of Konoha.

"Aoba-sensei is being held at the Konoha Hospital." She said in a whisper.

"I know." Hitome replied. "I've been here throughout the tribunal and the verdict. You may have seen me assisting Tsunade-sama. I went by the name of Yakumi Hitomi."

"That's right. So you've been here the entire time?"

Hitomi nodded.

"Then you know about the death of our comrades at Soukutsu. It wasn't our fault. They're blaming Aoba-sensei, but there wasn't anything else he could do."

"Calm down, mom."

"According to Junshin there is a mimic ninja in the graveyard, lurking among all those bodies. It paralyzes a person with some sort of jutsu; then it assumes the person's appearance. Junshin was insistent that we were in immediate danger. That's why Aoba allowed us to attack the mimic."

"But the tribunal didn't see it that way." Hitomi muttered.

Yukino scowled. "No, they had to appease the Mist."

"Tsunade-sama is doing what she can for Aoba-sensei. Another thing is I need you to keep my identity a secret for now. I'm kinda breaking rules right now. I'll need you to keep this a secret because a certain someone that is above me will take my abilities away from me if I break the rules but I'm not going to allow Konoha to be destroyed. I do need to go now. I have something I have to do at the moment."

Yukino looked into her daughter's heterochromatic eyes and then nodded.

"I'll be seeing you again before you leave, right?"

"Yeah. You'll be seeing around. Especially before I leave."

At that, her daughter's face disappeared and Yukino was left standing alone in the tranquil gardens of Konoha.

Yamashiro Aoba sat on the bed in the bedroom of the log cabin he had been using as his "cell" during his stay at in the Gen Ward. He gazed out the window to look at the snow covered ground. He had pens and a journal in which he had yet to write a word. There was nothing in his present circumstances he wished to record for posterity; he wished only to wake up from this horrible nightmare and get on with his life.

As befitting his hermitic lifestyle, Aoba had let his beard grow. He wore the standard blue long-sleeve shirt and pants of his Jonin uniform while his head protector was resting on the table nearby and his vest was hanging off the corner bed post. Aoba lied back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. He presumed that Kaunsera Kana and her assistants were watching him through the fake wall, if they even bothered to pay attention to him anymore. He supposed that some of this neglect was his own fault, because he had let it be known that he didn't want to see many of his comrades under these circumstances. They were respecting his wishes thus turning him into a recluse.

He had avoided further proceedings on the Soukutsu matter, but now he was beginning to miss the day to day interaction with the others. The incident was over, as far as everyone else was concerned; for him, it had only prolonged the embarrassment and started an open ended incarceration.

_I have to find some way to cope or I will go mad._

"Good morning, Aoba." A friendly voice said from the doorway. He turned to see the blond haired and fair skinned woman known as Counselor Kaunsera Kana. Again she was wearing civilian clothing which was flattering to her. Then in hindsight, many of the shinobi didn't wear the standard uniform. He had only seen Kana in her Jonin uniform twice, during his inquiry and at the memorial service for the team lost at Soukutsu. She made a few notes on her notepad. He felt like a zoo animal being visited by the zookeeper. According to Tsunade, Kaunsera Kana had done him a considerable favor by allowing more psychological evaluation, but it didn't feel that way to him. She walked closer to him.

"People keep making requests to visit you, but you have a very short list of those you approve. You really don't have to be alone."

Aoba sat up and looked at his "jailer." "They have better things to do now with Satori in charge now without being overly concerned about me."

"That's very selfless of you." Kana said.

"The welfare of the village and my team is my first concern." He answered. "Always has been."

The counselor nodded. "That's right. If you hadn't been sure your team was in danger, you wouldn't have attacked the Mist."

"They weren't the Mist." Aoba said with his jaw clenched tightly. With considerable self-control, he managed to relax and muster a smile for his keeper. "But you haven't come here to rehash the inquiry have you? I hope not, because I hate to keep fighting battles I've already lost."

"Isn't that what Soukutsu is all about?" She asked. "Fighting that never stops."

"Yes, that's one theory. This mimic ninja, or ninjas, could explain why the shinobi from the different villages fought to the death at Soukutsu. They didn't know who or what they were really fighting. They died fighting with surrender never an option. Think about it, how can you have a battle with no survivors? You're a psychologist, you know the will to survive is one of the strongest instincts."

"Yes, Aoba, and you went to Soukutsu wanting to solve this mystery, didn't you? And you solved it, you were successful."

Aoba narrowed his eyes warily at his keeper. He could see where this line of questioning was going. He had to hand it to her; she was always working one angle or another."

"I didn't make up the mimic ninja just to fit the facts." He said firmly. "Junshin didn't expect to see what he saw, two identical ninjas, but he did."

"You take me the worng way, Aoba." Kana said with disappointment. "This mimic ninja is not only at the base of your defense; it's the basis of your mental state and confidence. As long as you are unshakable in your belief in the mimic ninja, your case makes sense to me and everyone else."

He snorted a laugh. "You mean, I'm either right or delusional, therefore it doesn't really matter to you."

"It matters to me a lot." Kana said somberly. "And it should matter to you, too, if you want to get out of here."

"But how do you prove me right or delusional, except to go to Soukutsu and see for yourself? To me and the others, Junshin's word is proof enough. But it wasn't enough for the tribunal and I can't offer you anything else."

The young blond woman shrugged. "No one other than Junshin saw the transformation firsthand. You're convinced, but you didn't see it firsthand either. I guess you're right, Aoba, Konoha has to go back to Soukutsu."

"If we don't stop this threat more people will be killed."

Kana sighed on her way out the door. "You attribute too much power to me, Aoba." And at that she left.

Strolling down the corridor of the Gen Ward of Konoha Medical, Counselor Kaunsera was troubled. She couldn't fulfill the charge given her because there was no more information to be gleaned from Yamashiro Aoba, or any of the others connected with this incident. He was as sane as anyone in Konoha. Keeping him here was unnecessary. Rather than hold him here, they should just give him a medical discharge and be done with it. The Mist had all left Konoha and returned to their own village, so dragging this out seemed pointless, unless there was something to be gained.

The young counselor was still deep in thought when she opened the door to her office and walked towards a cluttered desk. A hulking figure whirled around in the chair, startling her. He was a formidable presence indeed.

"Danzo-sama." She said catching her breath. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought it was time to talk." The crippled elder answered crossly. "We don't have much of it before we have to decide what to do."

Kana tossed her notepad onto her desk. "I've reached a dead end. He doesn't know any more about the mimic ninja than he's already told us. If you send Aoba to Soukutsu, he'll only try to destroy it."

"You must have ways to influence him." Danzo pressed. "Drugs, posthypnotic suggestion, ninjutsu, there has to be a way to get him to capture this weapon , so we can study it."

Kana felt resentful toward Danzo's patronizing attitude. She no longer cared about the promised fast track promotion. "Why not send a fact finding mission?" She asked. "A whole task force to study it or capture it…or whatever you want to do."

"No. The Mist are too touchy now. Remember, they control the island of Soukutsu. It has to be a covert mission. Besides we need a lot of ninjas here in the village to be here for when Akatsuki arrives."

Kana seethed at the unfairness of the whole situation; however she still had one big card to play in this game, Yamashiro Aoba. He was her property until she chose to let him go, but now the Jonin wasn't foremost in her thoughts."

"The reason you don't want a lot of ninjas on this mission is because you want them all killed by Akatsuki so you can rule the village anyway."

Danzo slightly grinned but not enough to completely reveal to Kana what his intentions were when it came to Akatsuki.

"I've also heard that Uzuki Hanako will be heading up the Medical Ninja Corps."

Danzo shrugged his brocaded and bedecked shoulders. "Oh, that's just a rumor."

"She holds no love for me, not after the way I've treated Aoba. If that should happen, I'll have no future in the Medical Ninja Corps, no matter what you do to help me."

Danzo stared pointedly at her. "Forget that brat and concentrate on the task at hand. Just make that Jonin comfortable, but not too comfortable, so he'll be happy to get out of here when the time is right. I know you can do that without any problem."

She cringed as Danzo slowly passed her limping with the help of his cane. Kana had begun to dislike her chief benefactor intensely. Kana had known his backing wouldn't come cheap, but this was not how the young counselor wanted to succeed in Konoha. However, like Uzuki Hanako, Danzo would be a bad one to cross.

_Either way, I'm screwed._


	2. Kana At Soukutsu

Shiranui Satori stood with his twin sister Tenten. Neither one of them was happy with the outcome of the tribunal. Now Satori was in charge of the team. Tenten wasn't technically on her brother's team but she was recruited for the last mission to the island of Soukutsu.

"Why did they need him again? They've already asked him enough questions at the inquiry. Now they're doing it again. I just don't get it." Tenten said.

Satori paused to phrase his answer to his sister. "Nee-chan, not everyone knows Junshin as well as we do. To us, he's a loyal friend and colleague. To them, he's an outsider. They are just trying to find answers for what happened at Soukutsu."

"They're looking in the wrong place. Junshin wasn't convicted of anything. He just…."

Satori knew that Tenten was about to lose it for her lack of understanding of what was going on. He grabbed her and held her tightly as tears ran down her face.

"Listen, I know you're upset, we all are but we have to get over it and do our jobs." He said in a tone as her brother but then his tone changed from her brother to a ninja. He pulled her away and looked at her in the eyes. "Worry about them on your own time. Just shake it off when you're on duty."

Tenten scowled at her brother. Satori felt a delicate hand on his back, and he saw another hand reach for Tenten's shoulder. He turned to see Yukino. Unlike the rest of them, she wore a smile that was confident and content.

"Relax, Tenten. I can tell you that we have help coming from an unusual source. I know it's hard to be patient when you feel so helpless, but Aoba-sensei and Junshin have other allies besides us."

Tenten gritted her teeth and then let out a deep breath. She turned and walked away. Satori was half tempted to go after her but he knew that she need some time to think. Satori turned his head to look at his girlfriend and smiled for her help.

As she walked along a pedestrian bridge between the Konoha hospital and the business district, Hitomi worked out her next course of action in her head. She knew Danzo wasn't too thrilled to have a former Rock ninja in Konoha as a Leaf ninja now and she was sure there were a few others but Danzo was the highest ranking one. The inquiry was over, and now it was time for the elders to do something constructive about Soukutsu or back off. Hitomi figured it was time to visit the young counselor, Kaunsera Kana.

The ninja from the future had seen her during the tribunal and during her visits to the hospital, but she had yet to decide how to approach her in a way that would help Aoba. Kana was rather imposing, cold, calculating and beautiful, and she wasn't sure how she could influence her thinking on Aoba's behalf.

_She needs to know that Aoba is completely rational._ If she could just see the mysteries of Soukutsu for herself, then she would know, and she'd lobby for his release. _Then again, is Kaunsera Kana really in charge or is she just a front for others?_

How could she know unless she talked to her? Unfortunately, Konoha counselors weren't in the habit of chatting about their patients. Since she couldn't just stand in the corner and observe, she would need more than her usual tricks to confront her.

Hitomi appeared in front of Aoba's door just outside the reach of security. Her attuned senses picked up voices inside the room. Aoba was talking to an unidentified woman. She was able to walk into the room unnoticed like her usual self. She was a ninja and able to do such things.

"I'm sorry, Aoba." Kana insisted, placing her hands on her slim hips. "But you must take another round of tests."

"Didn't I take a dozen of your tests before the inquiry?" Aoba asked. "Do you really expect my answers to have changed?"

"Frankly, I don't know unless I test you. You're here to be evaluated under my supervision. I have to have some means to do that. I'll ask the questions myself. Then you can pretend we're just having a conversation. But you will take these tests, Aoba, or my evaluation will focus on your lack of cooperation and remorse."

"Remorse!" Aoba thundered jumping to his feet. "Do you think I'm not remorseful about what happened? I've lain awake at night thinking about it, wondering what I could've done differently about it."

Kana smiled condescendingly at him. "Do you see, Aoba? It's not so hard to talk about it. We just need to get your thoughts down in a form I can use in my report. Remorse is not only good for your personal healing; it's god for everyone's perception. You see it one way, the Mist another way, the tribunal a third way. I'm supposed to be neutral and explain my perception of you. That's why it's so hard to find truth in a case like this; it's like the theory of relativity. Space and time are different depending on where you're standing."

_No, _Hitomi thought as she observed this dynamic and beautiful woman, _the regular approach isn't going to work with her._

Looking defeated, Aoba sat back down. "I'll make a deal with you. Let me get some sleep and approach your questioning with a fresh attitude, all right?"

Kana mulled it over. "You rest, collect your thoughts and I'll be back."

At that she walked out the door.

Kaunsera Kana had a strong sense of déjà vu as she walked down the corridor toward her office. It had been only yesterday that Danzo had paid her a surprise visit. Had he come back? Could they have anything else left to discuss? She hoped not, because this arrangement was already making her uneasy.

When her office door opened she found herself facing a rather beautiful, heterochromatic girl roughly around her own age. She gave here a girlish smile as if she already knew her, although she didn't recognize the newcomer. Or did she? As she looked at her visitor, she seemed more familiar; maybe that head met in passing. She wore a dirty Jonin vest with a pair of black sai that looked like Shiranui Satori's pair.

"I'm Kaunsera Kana." She said curtly as she brushed past her on the way to her desk. "I'm very busy, so do you have something you wish to discuss?"

"My name is Hitomi. We're going to take a little trip."

Kana didn't really like the sound of it and ran to the door. It didn't open as if it was locked from the other side. Desperately, she banged on the barrier and shouted in futility.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I want to take you somewhere so you'll understand what happened better."

"I'm not going anywhere with you!"

Hitomi reached her hands for hers and her heterochromatic eyes were serious but also playful. "You won't be hurt, Kana, and you will be amazed. You'll be back before anyone knows you're gone."

_We can't go anywhere unless he opens the door. _She thought with confidence.

She reached for HItomi's hand. "Just to let you know I do know ninjutsu even though I'm a counselor."

"I didn't think you got that physique by just sitting around." She answered.

Their fingers met and her hand was warm and oddly tingling. Kana glanced at her frozen door only a step away, expecting it to open. Instead the girl's grip tightened. The tingling increased until her whole body felt consumed. The floor went out from under her. She gasped as she dropped into total darkness, the floor, the walls, her office and furniture; everything in the physical world was gone.

Fortunately, Hitomi was there to grasp her hand and keep her from falling. Her surroundings shimmered as strange shapes and lights coalesced all around them. Blurred vision seemed to be coming into sharp focus. Kana realized that she was in a battle site; the Soukutsu battle site.

To one side was a depressing collection of bodies from a dozen different villages. On the other side were three Mist ninjas, keeping guard. Dazzling chakra spikes rippled deep withing the battle site, the center where the monsters supposedly lurked. Kana got a chill, despite Hitomi's arm around her.

"How…how are we here?" She rasped. Her voice echoed more in her mind than her ears, where it was just a tinny hiss.

"Someday when I know you better, maybe I'll explain." Hitomi answered, sounding humble about her abilities. "Don't worry, no one can hear us or see us."

"What are the Mist guarding?"

"You tell me." Hitomi replied.

"Something has their attention. Can we go farther in?"

"We can, but there is no guarantee we'll see the mimic ninja."

Hitomi gazed off toward the graveyard where bright chakra spikes lit up the area. Hitomi gripped her hand and they were off again, moving so deep inside the Soukutsu site that they seemed to be at the eye of a hurricane. Bodies lied everywhere around them. Kana was beginning to feel nauseated, but she was too exhilarated to say anything.

When she was able to focus, she saw one of the Mist ninjas standing in front of an indeterminate pile of bodies. The ninja was doing the seal of the Ram and was standing as if they were emanating something.

"What's he doing?" Kana asked.

"Expelling chakra." Hitomi answered.

"Why?"

"I don't know. They aren't the only people here." She said, removing her arm from her shivering shoulders and taking her hand once again. Before kana could take a breath, they were in another part of Soukutsu.

"Scavengers. Doesn't look like the Mist have them under control." Hitomi said.

Kana nodded sheepishly, unable to speak; she could only grip Hitomi's arm. Giving her a warm smile, the girl seemed to sense that they should leave and before she could blink, Kaunsera Kana was sitting at her desk in her office, her mind fuzzy and confused.

Hitomi was standing at the door, looking at her with sweet concern. "Are you all right?"

The counselor nodded, still uncertain of her speaking voice. She finally wheezed, "When will I see you again?"

Hitomi smiled. "Soon." With that, the door opened, and the alluring woman in the Jonin vest vanished.


	3. Change Of Heart

Hitomi appeared in another section of Konoha, an area where her parents and their friends were most of the time. At this moment, it was the most painful place to be in the entire village. Everyone was so gloomy and angry, even those who seldom got that way, such as Zaihou Gintokin and Kusa Seika. Her mother would've been in that category if she hadn't revealed herself to her with a promise of help. She only hoped her expectations of her weren't unrealistic, because whatever demons lurked in the Soukutsu graveyard were not going to be exorcised easily.

Hitomi turned a corner just in time to see a happy reunion between Tenten, Satori and Junshin. Hitomi hovered in the background, blending in with a number of people who were just strolling the streets. She saw her father grasp his friend warmly.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm good." Junshin replied.

Tenten still clutched to her boyfriend.

"We're going to see Aoba-sensei tomorrow do you want to go?"

Junshin nodded. Hitomi allowed the group to go on their way without her. She doubted if she was to going to learn much more from them.

_Maybe I should just rest and let the seeds I've sown take root._

Then again, there were those who deserved more scrutiny than she had given them. She couldn't risk stealing them away to Soukutsu to prove her point but she could see how they were living with their decisions. A wink in time later, Hitomi strode down a nearly deserted corridor in the Hokage manor to the office of the elder Homura. As she neared the door, her acute hearing picked up Counselor Kaunsera's voice, which was distinctly argumentative. Even facing an elder, she gave as good as she got.

"I tell you, Homura-sama, I have come to believe that Yamashiro Aoba is perfectly rational. I think he had enough justification to believe in this mimic ninja to act as he did."

She lowered her voice to add, "I know there are also practical reasons why we acted as we did. I, for one, don't want to see us go to war with the Mist, especially with Akatsuki breathing down our necks looking for the nine tails. But we ought to have some sympathy for Aoba's position. Nobody's saying there weren't mistakes made, but look at the situation you put his team in. I have gone…and done some research on conditions in Soukutsu, I know we've given our forces an impossible task.

Hitomi edged into the elder's office and was glad to see that it was both large and dimly lit, befitting the late hour. She found a shadow behind a fake tree in the corner and melted into the collection of darkness. Homura looked properly dumbfounded by this uprising among one of his minions who was no longer playing by the agreed upon rules.

"Counselor, you were the one who suggested putting him in your care. Now are you saying you want to throw him back at us? Reopening this incident would be like batting a hornets' nest with a stick."

"I'd rather see Aoba with his team. You're not only trying to sweep Aoba under the rug, but Soukutsu too. The Mist are hiding something in that graveyard."

"What? Since when are you an expert on the Soukutsu battle site? Or the Mist?" He rose to his feet. "Counselor Kaunsera, what you are telling me is that you have fallen under Aoba's spell. I know he's a charming, erudite man, but he agreed to a settlement for the good of the situation. Even he agreed to keep a low profile. You want to push him back in to the spotlight!"

The elder heaved his shoulders. His once proud visage looked worn and care ridden, as if the weight of too many bad choices and too much death was taking its toll.

"Look, as soon as we work it out with the Mist, we'll send more teams to Soukutsu, but we won't risk any more teams. You just follow our agreement and keep Aoba safe and content."

"Content?" Kana asked shaking her head. "Yes, I know about the pact that you, me, and Koharu-sama made, but I'm saying that I'm beginning to believe him."

That remark made Homura wince, and he took on the pained expression of a sweet old grandfather. "You can't show a little bit of patience, Counselor? And let's give the Mist a little respect before we either negotiate in good faith or invade them. Soukutsu is in their territory, and I don't want to fight a war over the right to retrieve our dead."

Kana sighed loudly and collected herself. Hitomi marveled at how she could stand toe to toe with the higher ups of Konoha and not break a sweat. Hitomi had taken on a lot of responsibility at a young age, so she knew how it felt.

"Couldn't we send a team disguised as scavengers? We just need proof that this mimic ninja exists."

"If it does exist, we'd be putting a team in danger." Homura answered. "If it doesn't exist, we'd be driving the Mist out of the treaty, we need their blessing. Waiting is the prudent thing to do in this case."

"All right, I'll have some patience." Kana muttered backing toward the door. "Homura-sama, do you know ninjas are still lying face down in the dirt in the miasma of broken bodies and wild chakra?"

Homura's face turned pale, and he looked as if he had aged a few more years. "Yes, I know a lot of them. They won't be the first Konoha ninjas to be buried outside of Konoha."

Feeling defeated, Kana stepped into the corridor.

_Well, that was a bust._

After several moments spent shuffling rather than walking, Kana felt another presence at her side. She turned to see Yakumi Hitomi.

The ninja smiled shyly at her. "Counselor Kaunsera, do you remember me?"

"I know I should, and I'm usually good with names. You're us…"

"Yakumi Hitomi. Sometimes I help Tsunade-sama."

"Ah yes." She hadn't been impressed by Tsunade's defense or Aoba and she wasn't particularly impressed by the Hokage's aide either.

"Tsunade's office is just on the floor below and I think she could use a visit from you, if you have something to tell her."

"Why should I talk to her?"

"Because you both are trying to help Aoba."

"How do you know that?" She asked suspiciously.

Hitomi shrugged. "I saw you coming out of Komura-sama's office and you don't look very happy. It was just a hunch. But don't give up, Counselor, because Tsuande-sama will listen to you."

Kana peered curiously at Hitomi. It seemed for a moment that she wasn't quite the cipher she appeared to be. In fact, she felt she knew her from somewhere else…someplace more exciting than the drab corridors of Konoha.

Kana studied Hitomi with interest as they walked.

"You know, I would be happy if we just gave Aoba a vacation and released him on his own recognizance."

"No, we have to do better than that. That would be like putting him out to pasture. He needs his team back, at least to find the thing that put him here."

Now Kana peered curiously at her escort. "Do you happen to know another person with the name of Hitomi?"

She smiled slightly. "It doesn't sound familiar other than it being the same name as mine."

They stepped through a pair of doors and Kana felt oddly detached as Hitomi led her to Tsunade's office. It was late at night; few people were around the Hokage manor except for ubiquitous security ninjas.

When Hitomi barged into the Hokage's private lair, the twin pony tailed blond haired jumped to her feet as if to demand to know who they were, but her expression softened when she saw it was her trusted assistant. Also present was Shizune.

"Hokage-sama, I'm sorry to interrupt but I believe Counselor Kaunsera has had a change of heart of Aoba." Hitomi said.

Shizune and Tsunade looked at each other.

"Aoba is innocent." Kana said.

"Well, I didn't expect Aoba's custodian to step forward and say she wants to reopen the case. This is highly unusual, but welcome. You realize there is going to be no support for reopening Aoba's case. We don't want to drag the Mist back here just to impugn their testimony, not when we're involved in delicate negotiations with them to reopen Soukutsu."

"We've got to get Aoba back with his team."

Tsunade stepped away from her chair and paced thoughtfully. "Counselor, you are Aoba's sole master. Right now nobody can give him an order but you. You can set him to picking up trash in the village, if you wish. You could send him back with his team, but you can't let him out of your custody. Until he's officially absolved, you're his ball and chain. Any place he goes, you have to go."

The young woman gulped but firmed up her resolve. "I will accompany Aoba with his team and head back to Soukutsu."

"Nobody's going to Soukutsu until we conclude our negotiations with the Mist." Tsunade said. "You have to promise me that much. We should know shortly if they're going to give us access again." Tsunade chuckled. "The elders aren't going to like this one bit."

"So be it." Kana replied forcefully.

"Of course, if Aoba is right, then the guilty party is a lethal shape shifting ninja that has killed countless people. Are you ready to take that on?"

Kana wasn't so quick with her reply. It was a voice from the doorway that finally ended the silence, when all but forgotten Hitomi said, "We have no choice. The Mist are not going to do it."

"Then it's decided. I'll go tell my patient. In case it doesn't work out as planned, I'll tell him it's just a visit with his team outside the hospital. When negotiations with the Mist are concluded…"

"You'll be the first to know." Tsunade said. "Thank you for coming, Counselor. I know it took a lot of courage."

"Don't thank me. Thank your assistant…" She turned to find her but the ninja had already left.

Aoba lied on the floor of his cell staring at the ceiling. He was half tempted to take the medical discharge. Kaunsera Kana stepped into Aoba's view, carrying a bundle of clothes in her arms.

"Hello, Aoba. You may want to get cleaned up, because we're moving out of here. Here's your Jonin uniform, we're going to meet up with your team."


	4. Unexpected Actions

The team plus Setoguchi Ishida and Yakushi Masaki all sat around the table in Satori and Tenten's house. They all were enjoying a game of cards in hopes that it afforded them some distraction but it was hardly the usual jovial gathering. The group tried their best to laugh and have a good time but it was very difficult to have a good time while their team leader was languished in Konoha Medical. There was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it." Hanako said getting up.

As she was walking downstairs, she wondered who it could be. Hanako cringed. _I hope it's not an elder, we don't need any more bad news."_

She opened the door and gasped. It was Aoba and Kaunsera Kana.

"Hello, Hanako. How are things?"

"Good. It's good to see you, Aoba-sensei." Hanako looked at Aoba's escort for an explanation to why he was here.

"He's on outpatient status." Kana replied.

"Everyone is upstairs. They'd love to see you."

"With your permission?" Aoba asked as he smiled wistfully at Kana.

Hanako bristled at the sight of her proud team leader having to ask the younger woman for her consent, but she knew Aoba's legal status. He had obviously won Kaunsera over to some degree, or he wouldn't be here.

"Go ahead."

"Dealer takes two." Junshin said. He deftly dealt himself two cards. "Satori, it is still your bet."

"Huh? What?" The jonin had been marooned in his thoughts, and he blinked at his friend. "My call?"

"Your bet." Junshin replied. "You took one card, and you opened the betting with kings or better."

"Oh, yeah." Satori said giving his cards a desultory inspection. "I'm sorry, my mind isn't really into this tonight."

"It's okay." Tenten assured him. "Nobody's is."

Junshin cocked his head. "My mind is rather active and engaged."

"That's because you have all the chips." Tenten said. "Here, I've got kings or better. I'll bet three."

"I'll see your three." Seika said, and the betting went around the table until it came back to Satori.

"I fold." He muttered, tossing down his cards.

"Come on. You've got a good hand." Yukino said taking a look at his cards. "Sit down and play."

The jonin shook his ehad with amazement. "You seem unfazed by all this. How do you keep from worrying."

Yukino still hadn't told anyone, including Satori, about their future daughter in present day Konoha. "Don't you feel the tide turning?" She asked, brimming with optimism and hope. "I do."

"Well, I'm still going to win this hand." Seika said. "Satori, are you in or out?"

Satori shrugged and reached for his meager chips.

"My last three. My luck had better start changing or this is it." He tossed his markers into the pile just as the door opened.

"Do you have another seat?" A familiar voice asked, forcing everyone to whirl around.

"Aoba-sensei!" They all said in unison.

They all jumped up to greet their leader.

When they all tried to question him at once, Aoba held up his hand and hushed them. "I'm just visiting, as an outpatient. Counselor Kaunsera surprised me with this, so I don't really know what to make of it. My status hasn't changed and neither has yours, Satori. It's your team. I'm here by the counselor's good graces, and she's here with me. Treat her as you would a visiting dignitary."

"I think we can do that." Satori said. "Even if I didn't like her much before."

"Well, like her now." Aoba ordered, moving to grab a nearby chair. "And, remember, she's basically my superior. She has spent a week learning everything there is to know about me. That's all I want to discuss about this for now. Who's winning the game?"

"This is outrageous!" Danzo bellowed as he stomped around Tsunade's office. Hitomi considered herself very lucky that she could blend into the wall paneling as Tsunade's assistant; he didn't want this unbridled fury directed at her. Tsunade appeared oddly calm and more than willing to let Danzo blow off steam without interruption.

"You spirited him away in the middle of the night without telling any of the members of the tribunal. That's unethical, Tsunade-hime."

"I agree. You have every right to be angry. However, Aoba wasn't in my custody. Counselor Kaunsera has all the authority she needs to take him anywhere she wants, without consulting either one of us."

"We'll just have to transfer Aoba to someone with more sense and experience."

"Actually, you won't." Tsunade said. "All members of the tribunal would have to approve the transfer of Aoba and that includes me. The elders believe that Aoba would be better off to stay in Kaunsera's care. I have a statement from them, would like to hear it?"

"No!" Danzo slashed his free hand in blind anger, then took a deep breath to calm himself. "You've thought ahead, Tsunade-hime, as you always do. I don't care where Aoba is, but keep him under wraps until we conclude our negotiations with the Mist. That's all I ask."

"That was the intention." Tsunade said. "Team Aoba is still doing training exercises with their new leader and extended team members. Are we on our final offer to the Mist?"

"We're going to let them run things at Soukutsu. Konoha will have very specific missions and zones of responsibility." Danzo predicted with confidence.

"They'll turn it down." She said.

He bristled at the suggestion. "They can't do better than this, unless they want to keep us out permanently."

After the meeting with Danzo and Tsunade, Hitomi walked down the streets of Konoha. She was undecided on what she wanted to do. She did have some place she wanted to go.

_I may not have my abilities much longer and Sasuke may come and take me back to my own time._

She thought she could feel it becoming harder to pull off her abilities, although in subtle ways she couldn't explain. She felt the resistance of doing these techniques was increasing. She changed from Yakumi Hitomi into Shiranui Hitomi. The changes were subtle but there were still differences made.

_The question is why don't I want to tell my father and his friends that I've come to help? I told my mother and a complete stranger, but I can't tell my father that his little girl is here from the future and is here to help. Why not?_

Before she had time to think of an answer, Hitomi found herself standing before Kaunsera's door. She knew she was inside, and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Kana asked.

"It's Hitomi."

The door opened and Kana rushed to greet her, brushing her glowing blond hair out of her face and tugging on her tight fitting outfit. She deiced that she must have been napping, since she had been up all night arranging the return of Aoba. She smiled at Hitomi girlishly, then seemed to recover long enough to pull her into the room and close the door.

"So this is how you really look?" She asked.

"Yes." Hitomi answered sheepishly.

Without warning, Kana moved in close and Hitomi leaned down for an exploratory kiss. She responded passionately. They were very much alike, two gifted people giving up everything for a monastic existence that focused soley on work, study and advancement. Alone together in Kana's house, the two young women sought out physical contact.

Hours later, Hitomi slipped out of Kana's warm bed and slipped on her clothes. "I've got to go."

Kana stirred and rubbed her eyes. "You'll be back?"

"Yeah, I'll be around. You also know me as Tsunade-sama's aide and I'd appreciate it if you kept my secret."

"You don't look anything like Tsunade-sama's aide." Her frown deepened. "Or do you? I don't remember what she looks like."

"That's the point." She bent down and kissed Kana and she nearly succeeded in pulling her back into bed. Reluctantly, she drew away from her urgent kisses.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." She promised.

"I'll probably be busy." Kana said stretching luxuriantly in her bed. She gave Hitomi a come-hither look and smiled at her.

Hitomi smiled back before doing a few handseals and disappeared.

Hitomi reappeared in the Soukutsu battle site. Her eyes widened at what she saw.

_Aoba's team will definitely be back to Soukutsu._


	5. Hidden in the Mist

Satori stood facing Tsunade in her office as she was giving him the run down of what was going on. He felt awkward standing there taking the orders for the team instead of Aoba who was standing next to him.

"And so we're left with rotten choices. We can declare war against the Mist and make it harder for us to recover bodies at Soukutsu. We can do nothing, which leaves us in the dark and allows the possibility of secrets of this village to fall into the wrong hands. Or we can operate on the sly, as the scavengers are doing." The Hokage narrowed her eyes. "We need to find out how long the Soukutsu Battle Site will last. We need to know what the Mist are doing to make it safer. I don't mind backing off, if the Mist can make improvements and get control of the situation. If they aren't doing the job, we can't let the site disappear like it did many years ago. We need to find out exactly what you team encountered there."

"We want to return, but are you saying we'll be alone?" Satori asked carefully.

"Yes. If you go back, it has to be a volunteer team and unofficial. There will be no help or backup. Konoha will deny that you're there. Officially, your team is on another simple mission, not on a mission to Soukutsu. No matter what you find out, no matter if you die or return victorious, no one will ever know about this. There will be no honors or memorial services. Those are the conditions."

"You make it sound awfully inviting." Satori said. He glanced at Aoba who nodded in agreement. "All right. Count us in. What do you think we'll find?"

"It's reported that the Mist have the battle zone surrounded and aren't letting anyone in or out." Tsunade answered. "But the Mist don't seem to be operation inside the graveyard anymore. We're sure the scavengers are still getting in, which is why you should think about disguising yourselves as scavengers."

"And if they catch us?"

Tsunade gave him a smirk. "You're operating along to seek revenge. That's not far off, is it?"

"No." Satori admitted. "What about the two people tagging along?"

"I know Yakumi Hitomi and Kaunsera Kana will agree to go with you. I faith in your team to find some answers, especially when you can make your own rules. Good luck, Satori."

Satori and Aoba nodded and they both leapt away.

As the two ninjas leapt through the village, Satori looked to his sensei. "Are we going to get revenge? Because I don't want to dance around this thing, not if it's as lethal as we think."

"If we find the mimic ninja, we'll deal with it." Aoba vowed, his lips becoming a thing, straight line.

Hitomi stood in the mud so thick that it oozed over her ankles. The mist was thick too. She stood in a forestry section of the infamous village of the Hidden Mist. The air was salty and cool due to the fact that the village was on an island. She could hear the talks of people from the trees. Thanks to her abilities not a single person around her knew she was there. She couldn't shake the feeling that the Mist knew what was out there in Soukutsu, or at least they were hiding vital information. Or it could be fear. Something was lurking inside of Soukutsu and it was more terrifying than Konoha.

She heard an anguished roar from somewhere deep in the towering forest. Hitomi covered the distance in half a second and stood in a glade that was more primitive and overgrown than the civilized woods she had left. Tree branches rustled loudly over her head, even though the wind was barely a whisper.

Hitomi, hearing crashing in the woods, managed to move out of the way a moment before a beast plowed through the underbrush. The creature was the size of buffalo and as fearsome as a wild boar, with curved tusks, a bloody snout and bony plates and spines along its back. The animal had a narrow torso and spindly legs, but it had the weapons to inflict considerable damage. Plus it looked and sounded angry, as if it had been rousted from some sleepy lair. In the trees above her, Mist ninjas whooped and chattered, causing the brute to slash through the underbrush like an enraged bull.

Hitomi assumed the Mist were hunting the beast, judging by the noises they were making; they were certainly taunting it. The rustling was from braver individuals descending from the branches. Without warning, the giant plated creature roared again, shaking the trees, and this time its cry sounded plaintive, desperate, and hungry. As if in answer, a few Mist ninjas dove from the trees to land near the wild animal, and the battle commenced. It was a short melee, as the handful of Mist ninjas were torn apart, trampled, and eaten by the enraged creature. The ground turned red from the carnage. High above, the Mist cheered loudly.

_If it was an execution, it was a voluntary one._

Hitomi closed her eyes and when she reopened them she was back in Konoha. She was outside Kaunsera Kana's house. She went up to knock on the door but hesitated.

_What if she's not here?_

She needn't have worried, because the door opened and Kana was standing only an arm's length away. She grabbed her and pulled her close, as the door shut, closing out the rest of the world. They held each other tightly; it felt as if they were the only two people in the world.

"I thought you'd never come back." Kana said stroking and nuzzling her hair. "I can't think about anything, when you're gone."

"Then we'll just have to be together. That's possible isn't it?"

She didn't answer immediately, as if she couldn't trust herself to speak. Instead they both leaned in for a kiss. After a few moments had passed, Kana broke the kiss and looked at the clock on the wall.

"We better go. We've got to meet Satori at the gates." She said.

It was time for the team to leave the village and head back to Soukutsu. It was the same group as before with the addition of Kaunsera Kana and herself. Kana was wearing her Jonin uniform, something Hitomi had never seen her wear.

"Before we leaving I want to make one thing clear. Our mission to the Soukutsu Battle Site is voluntary. I want to make sure you have all agreed to go. Yakumi Hitomi, Kaunsera Kana, Aoba-sensei, if any of you want to stay, say so now."

"I'm coming along as well as my patient." Kana said.

"I'm coming too."

Looking pleased, Satori nodded and turned around, sliding his black gloves over his hands.

"Let's go."


	6. Espionage and Capture

The squad of Leaf ninjas leapt through the trees on their way to the Soukutsu island. Satori had already thought of a plan for when they got there.

"First, we'll need to send in a team of four disguised as scavengers." He said.

Aoba was the first to respond. "I'll go."

"If you go, then I'll have to go." Kana said.

"Same here." Hitomi responded.

"I will as well." Seika said.

"All of our guests and one of our own." Satori said.

The group leapt out into a clearing and landed on to a pier.

"Use your neck radios to communicate every hour but keep them hidden. It's not likely that scavengers have neck radios like us. The four of you will take a boat over to the island while the rest of us will remain on the shore of the main land. If you have any issues contact us and we'll come in to help. Remember, it won't matter whether we succeed and live or fail and die."

The four nodded as they performed the seal of the Ram and transformed into grungy scavengers. They boarded the boat and soon enough they were on their way.

They reached the islands surprisingly with no trouble. They reached the island and the minute they stepped foot on ground and explosive note struck the ground and exploded.

Aoba was ready to face this thing. He looked around to look for the mimic ninja but didn't find it. It was more scavengers. A bulky guy with green hair appeared holding a sword. As the figure approached them, he turned his attention to the women, especially to the lovely Kana. She gave him an insouciant smile and shifter her weight. The intruder grinned and hurried up to their position. Aoba thought momentarily about attacking him but this guy appeared to be more physically stronger than him. Plus that sword looked menacing.

The brute gave Kana an appreciative look. "And here we thought to kill you. Now I see that would've been a bad idea." He turned and shouted into the wooded area. "Aka! Tell them we're bringing them prisoners."

"We're not supposed to bring prisoners." A guy with red hair said immediately as he appeared.

"But look, one of them is a woman."

Aka sighed. "Follow us, all three of you."

_One of them is a woman? Three of us?_

Aoba looked around and saw that Hitomi was gone. Still being friendly, Kana looked unconcerned about the missing ninja, and Aoba's glance to Seika told him to keep quiet.

_How could Hitomi escape without anybody seeing her? As far as these thugs are concerned, she doesn't even exist._

There was no time to ponder this mystery with a sword waving around them.

"Move it." Aka growled.

Without hesitation, Aoba stepped forward. Since he or Seika were women, they would be the first to die.

_Hitomi, wherever you are, I hope you can do some good._

Shiranui Satori tried not to pace across the shore. It was difficult just to sit still when he didn't know the fate of Aoba and the others. And he wouldn't know until the team checked in twenty minutes from now. If they didn't report in, he would have to crash Soukutsu like a Genin at the elder's banquet. Not only would they draw every Mist ninja in the area, but the covert part of their mission would be over. Satori walked over and leaned next to a tree facing away from his teammates and the island. Suddenly, a figure appeared right in front of him. It nearly caused him to jump out of his skin. It was Hitomi. She quickly put her hand up to cover his just in case of him letting out a noise in surprise.

"Don't worry, I'm not a ghost." She whispered as she lowered her hand.

"How can you be here? Didn't you go with Aoba-sensei?"

"Yes, I did. Listen, I haven't got time to explain everything to you, but Aoba is not going to check in when he's supposed to. The others have been taken prisoner by other scavengers.

"And you escaped…but how?"

The mysterious girl looked animated for the first time since Satori had known her. "The next time I see you, I promise I'll explain. For now, just don't charge into Soukutsu when Aoba doesn't report it. You can't help them. Let me see if I can free them."

"You? By yourself?"

"I'll return with word as soon as I can." Hitomi promised.

At that, Hitomi disappeared. Satori was intrigued by this person. He only had ten minutes to see if her news is confirmed. Satori turned around and strode back towards his teammates.

As two hulking scavengers admired her, Kaunsera Kana thought, _This is more adventure than I expected. _A third scavenger came into view and joined the other two in admiration of Kana. She glanced at her teammates, Aoba and Seika, both of whom looked stunned b this turn of events. Although they wisel had said nothing, they were probably wondering about Hitomi's sudden disappearance more than their capture.

"What are you going to do with us?" Kana asked their captors.

"Sell you." Midori growled.

At those words, Aoba immediately knew who these scavengers were. They weren't normal scavengers. They were Hanbaishas. They capture people and sell them to make a profit. To them women were worth more, especially ones that looked like Kana. Aoba figured that he and Seika were going to be killed.

"All though we may keep you with us…for a while."

Kana gave him an encouraging smile, all the time wondering when Hitomi would intervene to get them out of this mess. Although Hitomi had amazing abilities, she didn't think she could subdue three huge Hanbaishas such as these. No, Hitomi would have to wait for a better opportunity than this.

"Have you seen it? The mimic ninja?"

"You talk too much." Midori barked.

"You know what I'm talking about." Aoba said. "The mimic ninja takes on the appearance of other people…after it kills them."

"Old woman's tales." Aoi retorted. He didn't sound convincing in his denial.

Aoba nodded sagely. "You've lost people to that monster, too. So have we. That's what killed all these people in this graveyard.

"But we're going to capture it." Kana blurted out. Now everyone turned their attention to the young lady. Even the Hanbaishas looked impressed. "Think of it." She said her eyes wide and glistening. "That would be the ultimate weapon. If you could control the shape shifting ninja, no one would be too great to defeat and no village to great to conquer. All the important powers of the world would lie at your feet and have to pay tribute, lest you unleash the mimic ninja on them."

Midori snorted a laugh. "And how do you propose to capture this thing, if it even exists?"

"Well, it uses some sort of technique to paralyze its victims…"

"That's enough, woman!" snapped Aoba. "Keep quiet."

_Good job, Aoba. Help me play these creeps."_

"Enough fairy tales. We're here." Aoi said.

Midori and Aka glanced at one another, as if sharing the same forbidden thought. Kana tried to appear contrite under Aoba's stern glare, hoping to sell the idea that they were too valuable to sell into slavery or kill. They walked down into a cave that led underground. Another scavenger with a sword stood at the entrance and let them pass.

Aoba tried not to stare at their new surroundings, but it was difficult not to gawk when a cave had been turned into the rowdiest bar in the area. Scantily clad women danced on almost every table. Aoba was shoved by Aoi onto the dance floor, but he managed to keep his feet. Suddenly, he was bombarded with flying mugs and sloshing drinks. Aoba dove under a table to protect himself, an action that was greeted by uproarious laughs and jeers, hollering that he was a coward and several other things that were not as kind.

Aoba heard thuds above him, and he realized that one of the girls was still dancing on top of the table. He saw Seika standing against a wall with drinks being dumped on him.

"Hey, Aoba. Is this a blast or what?"

"I need a drink." Aoba said. That wasn't far from wrong.

Just then, he heard a howl and a mammoth sized person dropped to the floor at the end of the bar where Seika was standing. Aoba could slightly see a smirk appear on Seika's face.

"Well, that's one less mouth to fill." The bartender said.

Aoba felt someone grab him by his collar and pull him over to Seika. It was Aoi who had grabbed him.

"You two, drag that body out of here." He ordered.

Aoba looked forlornly at the beached whale of a person and nodded. He didn't have a lot of choices if he wanted to make himself useful.

"There's a pit down that passageway. Don't get too close if you value your lives." Aoi said.

Leaving a trail of blood on the floor, Aoba and Seika finally dragged the body down a cavernous passageway, following a path of spills and similar smears to a dark pit that seemed to go on forever. The two disguised Leaf ninjas dropped the dead weight next to the hole and pushed it in with their feet.

"You there!"Midori growled. "We have more for you to do."

"We've missed our check in time." Seika muttered.

"I know." Aoba realized that Satori and the others were probably crashing through the Mists' line of defense and into the graveyard right now, and that frightened him more than their own predicament.

"No word from the team." Junshin said. "They're about five minutes late."

"Junshin, if Hitomi had shown up about twenty-five minutes ago and told me that the team wouldn't check in because they'd been captured, would you be inclined to believe her?"

"With this group, anything is possible."

"HItomi told me not to do anything…that she would rescue them."

"This is a great deal to take on faith." Junshin said. "Then again we have no idea where they are. Merely getting into Soukutsu is problematic."

"I've been thinking about that too." Satori mused. "Last time there was trouble with scavengers. We might have to go in there as scavengers. That way, it won't get back to Konoha if we're spotted. We'll give Hitomi a bit more time to rescue the team and contact us.


	7. Finding Out

Considering the vortex on one end of the island, the awesome raw power of the chakra spikes slamming into anything and everything and the Mist ninjas running around the island, things were peaceful. A vast maelstrom of destruction whirled around this island. Laughter echoed in the cave where the scavengers played. The guard looked down into the cave at the first sound of laughter. That would be his last mistake. A pair of young, tender hands grabbed the guard by the chin and head and forcibly moved his head the opposite direction. No one in the cave knew what was going on at its entrance. The only people knew were the Leaf ninjas hiding in the bushes fifty yards away from the cave.

"What is she going to do?" Seika asked.

"I don't know. I'm just glad to be out of there." Aoba said. "I think Counselor Kana was having a bit too much fun."

"I was not. I had them playing in the palm of my hand."

"Sure you did." Seika said with a slight grin.

Then they saw Hitomi's arms move in a fashion consistent with making hand seals. They couldn't see what hand seals she with the exception of the final seal: Tiger. It was going to be a Katon jutsu.

"KATON: NAGARE NAPA-MU NO JUTSU!" (Fire Element: Flowing Napalm Technique)

The unorthodox party was violently interrupted when an avenging stream of fire was launched from Hitomi's mouth and flowed down the cave's opening like a river. Explosions started down in the cave and ignited a riotous rippling of chakra spikes that spread outward across the Soukutsu Battle Site. Within seconds, the dazzling arcs had turned this section of the graveyard into a new war zone.

The cave exploded sending shrapnel of all sizes in all directions. Aoba and Seika ducked to avoid being hit. After the onslaught of debris was over they leaned up to check in everyone was ok. Kana was still on the ground and bleeding. Hitomi appeared next to her. She laid her body out on the ground and began doing her medical jutsus.

"Her pulse was strong, but I wish Sakura, Hanako, Ino or even my mother was here?"

"Your mother?" Aoba asked. "Who are you, really?"

Hitomi's features changed into her real form.

"The name's Shiranui HItomi and I come from twenty years in the future."

"Shiranui?" Aoba asked. "You mean to tell me that Satori is your father?"

"Yes. Yukino is my mother. But you probably guessed that by noticing my hyper chromatic eyes."

"I figured as such."

"Yukino must now." Aoba said. "That's why she's been so damned cheerful."

"Yes. Kana knows too."

"Did you get word to the rest of the team?" Seika asked.

"Yes. I told them not to invade the battle site just because we missed our check in."

Kana groaned and shifted on the ground. Hitomi anxiously gripped her hand. "Kana? Don't try to move. Just lie still."

"Hitomi." She breathed with a grateful smile. "I knew you'd come to rescue us. Did you finally tell the others who you are?"

"Yes, but there hasn't been much time to fully explain." She answered, holding her hand and swabbing the grime off her face.

Aoba looked away, realizing that these two were much more than accidental neighbors. He had a million questions for the young Shiranui, but this was hardly the time or place.

"I'm going to get us out of here and into the hands of the others. Grab hold of Kana." Hitomi leaned back just as Seika and Aoba touched a part of Kana. The hyper chromatic ninja grabbed the shoulders of the Jonin and the ANBU member and all four disappeared from their spot.

Meanwhile, Satori stood with the rest of the group on the main land's shore. He was deep in his thoughts pacing around the beach. His thoughts ran from the pregnancy of Yukino to the well being of the team on the island. Then suddenly a scream rang out that snapped him out of his trance. He turned around to see his team surrounded by Mist ninjas, three of which pounced on him bringing him to the ground. His team was pretty out numbered by the Mist. He saw one of the enemy ninjas draw a kunai and lift it into the air in a deadly poise and was about to bring it down upon the restrained Yukino. One of the ninjas that held him down stabbed a sword into Satori's spine. Then in a cloud of smoke, Satori's body was replaced by a log. The Mist ninja's eyes widened.

"Kawarimi no jutsu?" (Replacement Technique)

Satori sprinted past his attackers and shot for Yukino. The ninja on top of Yukino looked to see Satori on a dead sprint towards him. In a flash Satori tackled the ninja off of his girlfriend and had him pinned to the ground. With her restrainers distracted, Yukino broke one arm free and grabbed the other by the hair and kneed him in the face. She shot to her feet and roundhouse kicked the other one. Junshin, who had been pinned against the tree, interlocked his foot around his attacker and pulled his feet out from under him, sending him to the ground. Tenten was pinned face first into the sand and couldn't breathe. Then she felt the weight from the three Mist ninjas that were on top of her suddenly disappear. She looked up to see that Junshin had come to her rescue and was facing off against the three of them. The group was still surrounded and outnumbered. Then in a sudden flash of light the Mist ninjas were gone. The Leaf team stood there looking around confused. Satori turned around to see Hitomi, Aoba, Seika and the injured Kana standing there.

Yukino stood up and held a hand to her face to heal a cut on her cheek. Hitomi ran to her.

"Mother. Are you okay?"

"Mother?" Satori asked.

Hitomi looked at her father with her red and green eyes. Satori stepped closer as his daughters face became more familiar. He could see the different features that she got from each parent. He knew that she was his.

"You're my daughter." He said to himself. Then he slightly turned his head to the others. "She's my daughter."

She held out her arm to allow him to hug her and he fully accepted. He hugged the two women tightly. After a few moments of togetherness, Hitomi pulled away.

"There's no reason for subterfuge now, Father."

"You're right." Satori said. He turned to the others. "Get ready, we're headed in."


	8. Lost Innocence

Kana lied on the beach being healed by Yukino and Hanako. It really didn't take both of them to heal the young counselor but Yukino was there because she knew of the connection that Kana and Hitomi had.

"So how many ninjas does it take to heal a wound?" Kana said with a smile.

Yukino and Hanako looked at each other then back to Kana.

"If we use two of us, it's the less chakra that we each use. Plus it heals you faster. We need everyone to be a hundred percent before we head over. We don't want to see anyone get hurt."

Kana picked up a slight tone in Yukino's voice. It wasn't a tone of anger but a tone that she knew of Hitomi's and Kana's relationship.

"Do you think I'll hurt her?" Kana asked in astonishment.

Hanako knew this was a conversation just for the two of them.

"She's pretty much healed, so I'll leave you two." She said getting up. Yukino smiled at Hanako as she left.

"I really don't know what you'll do to her." Yukino replied. "But you're certainly in a position to bring her great joy or misery."

"The same power I have over her, she has over me." Kana replied. "I know she's from the future and I'm not sure what to think of that."

Yukino shook her head and rose to her feet. "She doesn't think she can keep both lives. Really, you should start worrying more about yourself, Kana."

The Leaf squad leapt through the trees of the Soukutsu Battle Site. Nothing had changed since their last visit. Bodies lay strewn everywhere, wild spikes of chakra danced about and the chakra vortex was still off in the distance. Satori led the way in a tight diamond formation.

"Be careful of the chakra spikes." Satori said. "They could whip around and head straight for us at any moment."

"As if you had to say that." Junshin said who was on Satori's left flank.

Satori sighed. "A lot of things go without saying but we say them anyway."

The row of trees cleared and the Leaf ninjas jumped out into the open area. Instead of breaking into a dead sprint as soon as their feet touched the ground, Satori held a closed fist up to stop his team's movement. The other ninjas moved around.

"Something's not right." Satori said.

"Like what?" Tenten asked.

"Yukino, use your Sekigan." Satori said.

Yukino nodded as she and Satori closed their eyes and then shot them open with their Sekigan eyes activated.

"Sekigan!"

Satori's suspicion was confirmed just as a stream of lightning shot from a nearby bush and ripped Kana across her midsection. She stared at Hitomi wild-eyed as her blast body fell to the ground. More lightning blasts raked the place where Hitomi stood.

"AMBUSH!"

Mist ninjas flew out of trees, bushes, and even piles of dead bodies to surround the Leaf squad. All ninjas leapt in a scattered formation to battle the Mist stood for a moment before she bent over her body, numbed by shock and grief. She hugged her bloody form even as another kunai with an explosive note hit the ground nearby and exploded. Hitomi threw up a chakra shield to counter the blast. She let go of Kana's body and let it become mixed with the rest of the dead of Soukutsu. She was dead, beyond even her powers, and nothing could bring her back.

Her vision blurred with grief and rage, Hitomi felt as if she was outside of her body. She could see herself leaping over to the nearest Mist ninjas.

"Katon: Ryu-ken no jutsu." (Fire Element: Dragonfist Technique)

Using her father's jutsu, she instantly had a fist in each ninja's chest and was squeezing their heart as they bellowed and kicked. Hitomi could feel their desperate need to get away from her as she heard their death squeals. More Mist ninjas came to their aid. The girl sprang from her position even as two more Mist ninjas tried to complete hand seals to attack her. Before they could do so, she grabbed both of them and threw them into a nearby chakra spike. She turned around and saw more Mist ninjas either doing battle with her friends or coming to fight her. Through burning tears and heartfelt sobs, the berserk Hitomi singled out each Mist ninja and either collapsed their windpipe, stopped their heart or let them burn with a fire technique.

The horrible massacre went on for only a matter of seconds, although it must have seemed like an eternity for the poor survivors who scuttled from the battle scene like rats. Hitomi hunted them down and found each Mist ninja running or cowering.

"KATON: NAGARE NAPA-MU NO JUTSU!" (Fire Element: Flowing Napalm Technique)

The flowing lava like fire overwhelmed the remaining Mist ninjas. They tried to stop it using a Suiton jutsu but the jutsu was too powerful for them.

"WHY? WHY HER?" She shrieked as she snuffed out their miserable lives.

"HITOMI, STOP!" Yukino yelled as she finished off her opponent.

"They killed her. They killed Kana." Hitomi said.

Satori walked up to his daughter. "I'm sorry for you. We all grew to like her, and we'll miss her. But your anger won't bring her back."

"It was in the line of duty." Aoba said. "And we all owe her a lot. Shake it off, Hitomi, concentrate on the mission, and grieve later."

Hitomi dropped to the ground and began to weep. She couldn't think about anything but the lifeless body she had held in her arms. That could not be the woman she loved, the woman she thought she had saved. Instead she head swept her into harm's way, and she died.

_She died because I misused my powers! I went too far. Because of my arrogance, Kana is dead._

It seemed that her life was over as well. She wept for all she had lost…Kana, her parents in the future, Konoha in the future, the faith of Sasuke, and her innocence.


	9. Sacrifices

Hitomi was on her knees with her head in her hands. She hadn't felt this way in a long time. She was too young to remember her father being killed by Pein and in fact, the last time she felt this way was when her mother died of what doctors said a complicated illness but everyone else knew that it was of a broken heart. Yukino rubbed her daughter's back with passion and sympathy. Even Tenten came over to help console her unknown niece. Satori stood with Aoba, Seika, Gintokin and Junshin figuring out their next plan of attack. Satori's senbon moved up and down as he spoke to the others about their next move. Suddenly Gintokin's attention faltered from his teammates to the air.

"If we're going to defeat this thing we need to…" Satori stopped talking and looked over to Gintokin who looked like he was daydreaming.

"What is it, Gin?"

"Guys, they're coming." He said.

They all stopped and looked up just in time to see more Mist ninjas leap onto the scene. The leaf ninjas were instantly overwhelmed. The Mist ninjas tackled them and held them to the ground. Then another Mist ninja came from the trees.

"Don't kill them. We need them alive." He said.

"What the hell are you doing?" Satori demanded.

"We are going to use you for the mimic ninja."

"As sacrifices?" Tenten asked.

"What else? We will take you to the vortex and give you up to the mimic ninja."

"Why?" Junshin asked.

At that moment, Hitomi kicked her captor off of her and sprang to her feet. She was almost immediately tackled by two more Mist ninjas. She hit the ground face first. One of the Mist ninjas pulled out a kunai and stabbed it into the base of Hitomi's skull. Satori and Yukino looked on with wide eyes.

"One down." The Mist leader said.

Then Hitomi disappeared in a cloud of smoke and all of their eyes widened.

"Kage Bunshin?"

A hand sprang up from the ground and grabbed both ninjas by their ankles.

"Doton: Shinju Zanshu no jutsu." (Earth Element: Inner Decapitation Technique)

Hitomi pulled both ninjas into the ground and then leapt out of the ground a few feet away. She pulled her black bladed sai weapons and engaged the other Mist ninjas. She kicked one off of her mother and stabbed him in the chest. One ninja came up behind her but Hitomi already knew he was there. She ducked, stuck her leg out and spun around, tripping the ninja. She stood up and stomped on the ninja's neck, breaking it. One of the Mist ninjas, who was helping hold down Gintokin, grabbed Gintokin's sword and was going to use it to fight Hitomi. Gintokin's eyes widened with fury. The Mist ninja stood in front of Hitomi and was about to draw the sword when he felt two hands grab his head and twist it violently to the side. As he dropped, Gintokin was revealed standing behind him.

"No one touches my sword." Gintokin said as he reached down and picked it up.

The other Leaf ninjas were able to break the hold on their captors and were able to join the fight.

"STOP!" A voice called out.

The Leaf ninjas stopped to look where the voice originated. The Mist team leader held Yukino by her hair with a kunai to her throat.

"Stop attacking or your teammate will die."

Satori wanted to attack but he didn't want to risk Yukino. He saw Hitomi grip her weapons out of the corner of his eye. She noticed his attention towards her and looked at him. Satori subtly shook his head. She holstered her two weapons and stood down. The Mist ninjas that were still able and living came up and grabbed a hold of the Leaf ninjas again. The Mist leader still had a hold of Yukino and began to drag her away.

"Now, it's time for all of you to..."

The Mist ninja stopped in mid sentence and held his hands to his ears. Everyone put hands to their ears. Even in the midst of their pain the Leaf ninjas, now free of their captors' grasp, huddled together. The pain from the high pitched tone was almost unbearable. One by one the Leaf ninjas began to fall to the ground. Hitomi fell and slowly closed her eyes. She slowly opened them again and saw a being take shape of another mist ninja. It was the mimic ninja. The Mist ninjas were dying at the hands of the mimic ninja. She knew that she had to protect her parents and friends and she was the only one who could protect them now. Hitomi stumbled to her feet and stood in front of her teammates, in between them and the mimic ninja. She began a series of handseals. Dragon, Boar, Horse, Tiger, Ram, Snake, Tiger, Ox, Dragon, Snake. She formed the Snake seal hard with the rest of her strength.

"Gaibu mamoru no tate." (External Protection Shield)

A blue shield appeared around the Leaf ninjas with the exception of Hitomi. She had to stay stationary and outside the shield to keep it stable. The mimic ninja noticed Hitomi, stopped what it was doing and moved towards her. Hitomi gritted her teeth, knowing she couldn't move or else the shield would fail. The others were passed out anyway so if she left then they'd all die. The mimic ninja stood real close to the hyper chromatic ninja and stared her in the eyes with a curious look of a child. Then the mimic ninja place her hands on the sides of Hitomi's heads with only the tips of its fingers touching her head around Hitomi's ears. The tips of its fingers glowed green and Hitomi began to scream as the mimic ninja probed her mind.


	10. Limelight

Satori regained consciousness and noticed the events that were taking place and what was happening to his daughter. He had to do something to protect her. He stumbled to his feet and was able to pass through the protective shielding provided by his daughter.

"YOU GET AWAY FROM HER!" He yelled.

Satori leapt into the air and cocked him arm back as it caught fire.

"Katon: Ryu-ken no jutsu." (Fire Element: Dragonfist Technique)

The mimic ninja looked up at Satori and just as he was about to smash his fist into it's head, the thing pushed his daughter away from itself and it too leapt out of the way just as Satori attacked. His fist smashed into the ground where the mimic ninja once stood. It looked at him and then turned to leap away. He was tempted to go after it but his first concern was his daughter.

"Hitomi, are you okay?" He said pulling her up from the ground.

She held her head as if she had a headache.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

The others started to gain consciousness now. Hitomi released her technique by doing the seal of the Ram and the shield vanished. Satori was impressed that she was still able to maintain it while being attacked.

"What was it doing to you?"

"I'm not sure. It seemed like it was probing my mind."

"Do you know what it was looking for?"

"All I could think about was Konoha. I couldn't think of anything else."

"That's where it's going. It's going to Konoha. We need to stop it." Junshin said.

"If it gets to Konoha then we won't have to worry about Akatsuki destroying the village. It will have already been done."

"That's it." Hanako said.

"What's it." Satori asked.

"If we create a duplicate village then it will stop and not get to the real Konoha."

"Then what? Do we invite it in for fake tea as well?" Junshin asked.

"We'll destroy the village and it along with it. I can use a certain technique that I've learned. However, the rest of you will need to get out of here once I start doing the technique." Hanako said. "I'll be using clones to do it so I'll be leaving as well."

"If we fail then Konoha is done fore. We'll make our stand here." Satori said.

With all of them doing the same handseals and the same body movements at the same time, they were able to turn their surroundings into the village that they called home. Once finished they looked around and if they didn't know any better they'd say they were home. The only exception was that the bodies from Soukutsu were visible here.

"It feels like a ghost town." Tenten said.

"That's because it's not far from being one." Gin said.

"I sure picked a good time to take command of the team." Satori joked. "You sure you don't want to take command now?"

"You're doing fine, Satori." Aoba said with a smile.

"We have to make sure that the mimic ninja is definitely here." Hitomi said. "It could be just outside the fake village. I'll do it. I'm the only one suitable for it."

"What makes you say that?" Tenten asked.

"Because, once Hanako does her technique then I can just envision myself else where and be out of here."

Satori was very reluctant to let her do this but he knew she was the only one to do it.

"Fine, but be careful." He said placing a kiss on her forehead.

She smiled and then leapt away, heading deeper into the village.

"Ok guys, it's time for us to get out of here." Hanako said as she put her hands in the position to do Kage Bunshin.

"Kage Bunshin no jutsu." (Shadow Clone Technique)

Four clones appeared in a cloud of smoke. They all nodded to the real Hanako and then leapt into the air heading in four separate directions.

"They're not going to do Limelight are they?" Aoba asked.

Hanako nodded. "Now let's get out of here."

The team leapt into the air heading towards the main gates.

Hitomi ran through the village looking to make sure the mimic ninja was inside. That was the only way that this plan was going to work. Then she saw it. It was standing on the Hokage Monument looking over everything. It spotted something towards the main gates and leapt that way. Hitomi figured that it spotted the others. She pulled out and threw a kunai up at the creature to get its attention. It stopped in mid air and saw Hitomi. It then changed its mind and headed for the female ninja. Hitomi was amazed that it stopped its motion in mid air and then changed its direction without any leverage. Kana was right; the dreaded mimic ninja was one of the wonders of the world. If they could've captured it, it would have been a prize unique to this area, one that might open up new doors of understanding. But somehow she didn't it would survive in captivity, nor would any cage hold it.

_I'm sorry, we have to kill you._

Then four bolts of lightning shot to the sky from the four corners of the village.

"Limelight."

She knew she only had a few seconds to get out of there once the bolts of lightning met in the middle of the village. Then she felt a horrible pain in her stomach. She groaned and doubled over. She knew she had to get out of the village immediately, or she might pass out. She tried to focus, to will herself outside the village, next to her teammates, anywhere, but she couldn't even get a clear sense of thought. It was as if she once knew a foreign language but had somehow forgotten it, in the blink of an eye. She staggered across the ground, barely getting her legs to carry her body. Then she saw the four lightning bolts meet in the middle. They were about to destroy the village.

_I'm going to die. I'm no longer one of them._


	11. Leaving

Images of different people she has met through out her time here in the past shot through her mind in rapid succession. She focused hard as she tried to get away from the mimic ninja as it closed in on her from behind. Then she saw it. It was the vision of her teammates on the boat in the ocean waiting for her. She closed her eyes tightly with that image stuck in her head.

Hitomi felt a hand grab her shoulder and turn her around.

"NO GET AWAY FROM ME!" She yelled and swung before opening her eyes.

She felt her fist connect with the face of something. She opened her eyes to see her fist, just below Satori's eye. Her eyes widened with joy and regret. Satori's eyes shifted over to Yukino, who was standing next to him.

"You know, I always knew she was a bad kid. Striking her father like this."

"Dad I'm so sorry." She said pulling her arm away and hugging him tightly.

"Don't think you're off the hook that easily. You're never too old to get a spanking, young lady." Satori said with a smile.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light and a giant explosion afterwards. The explosion was so great that it sent debris into the ocean. The Leaf ninjas shielded their eyes. Hitomi now realized that this was the vision she saw in the Lake. It made perfect sense now.

"My question to you, Hanako, is since when can you do Limelight?" Aoba asked.

"I did research on the twelve guardian ninjas and four of them were powerful lightning element users and I wanted to learn Limelight in the instance we needed to destroy an enemy base or something."

"I see." Aoba replied.

"What? Do you think that Satori is the only one cool enough to come up with his own jutsu? I think not."

"I think it's over." Seika said.

"No. It's coming." Gin said.

The mimic ninja appeared in the air and slammed into the middle of the ship that carried the Leaf ninjas. The Leaf ninjas had leapt from the boat in time and now they stood on the water, watching their ship sink.

"Damn it. I thought that would've done it." Tenten said.

"This bitch is getting real annoying." Junshin said.

The mimic ninja was badly burned and looked as if it was going to keel over at anytime.

"Now what are we going to do?" Hanako asked.

"Limelight should've killed it."

Satori did a series of handseals. Rat, Tiger, Dog, Ox, Rabbit, Tiger.

"Katon: Hosenka no jutsu."

Satori shot multiple fireballs at the mimic ninja, who in turn dodged all of them. Hanako ran up while doing handseals. She ended her hand movement with the seal of the Bird.

"Suiton: Daibakuryuu no jutsu." (Water Element: Great Exploding current)

A vortex of water formed below the mimic ninja sucking it down below. Then suddenly it shot from the water and back up into the air. Junshin stepped up as if it was his turn and did handseals. Dragon, Dog, Rabbit, Monkey, Ram.

"Kanamono no ame no juts." (Metallic Rain technique)

The needles became molten and smaller as they flew through the air. They separated in their liquid form and instead of hardening into more needles, they stayed in their liquid form and began to form together. They created a sphere around the mimic ninja.

"Got you now. KATSU!" Junshin said.

The sphere exploded with the mimic ninja inside. The Leaf ninjas were ready to celebrate but it would be too soon. The mimic ninja shot from the cloud of smoke and landed on the water in between the Leaf ninjas and the main land.

"It's not going let us leave."

Then suddenly, something appeared right in front of the mimic ninja. It was Hitomi and in her hand was encased in lightning. Everyone knew what it was. It was the Chidori.

Hitomi cocked her arm back and slammed it into the chest of the mimic ninja.

"NOW!" Hitomi yelled.

"I'm on it." A voice said from above.

Everyone looked up to see another Hitomi in the air. She landed on the water and sprinted towards her clone and the mimic ninja getting ready to attack. Everyone's eyes widened when they realized what technique she was using.

"Futon: Rasen-shuriken." She said as she slammed it into the mimic ninja.

The impact sent the mimic ninja skipping across the water as the Rasen-shuriken attacked it on the cellular level, eventually causing it to dissolve until there was nothing left of the mimic ninja.

The Leaf ninjas stood there in shock.

"This all happened so fast. She was just standing here and then she's there." Yukino said. Then her eyes widened. "That couldn't have been the technique that I'm thinking it is."

"Which is what?"

"The technique that gave the Fourth Hokage the nickname 'The Yellow Flash of Konoha.' Plus she just used Chidori and Rasen-Shuriken as well."

They all looked back to see Hitomi standing there breathing heavily. Then she fell forward into the water, passing out. Satori appeared next to her and grabbed her before she sank.

Shiranui Hitomi stirred from what seemed like the deepest sleep over her life, and found that her joints were all sore, along with her back. She also noticed her mother standing there with a big grin on her face.

"I'd hope you would wake up today."

"Today?" She asked with confusion. "How long have I been out?"

"Almost three days." She answered, fondly brushing the hair off her forehead. "You'll be weak for several more days."

"That tends to be the case when I use those three techniques in succession."

"Satori and the others want to see you. I'll go get them."

Yukino walked out of the room and returned shortly later with a group of people.

"So, what happened?" Hitomi asked.

"We came back to the village and put you here in the hospital." Aoba said.

"Is your name cleared?"

Aoba sighed. "Not exactly. Tsunade-sama and the elders know what we've done but the case won't be reopened. We knew the ground rules going into this mission. It was undercover and unofficial. Whether we were successful or not, there would be no exoneration and no public record. We made Soukutsu a much safer place than it was before. We'll just have to erase this black spot on our records by our future actions."

"But wouldn't it become official because we lost Kana?" Hitomi asked.

"There will be a memorial for her tomorrow." Aoba said. "I'm sorry for your loss, she was a remarkable woman."

Hitomi nodded her thanks.

Hitomi, Satori and Yukino walked down the streets of Konoha after the memorial service for Kaunsera Kana. Nobody could quite explain how Kana had died on a routine training mission, but no one was asking embarrassing questions. The outpouring of affection and respect for the counselor had impressed everybody. Many had stayed behind to share anecdotes about her.

Even so, Hitomi hadn't wanted to engage in small talk about Kana. She was content to stroll through the village she never knew with her parents. It was a sunny afternoon, with birds chirping in the trees; the breeze rustled through the flowers of the Yamanaka's outside display from their flower shop. Hitomi felt recovered physically, but she felt enormous emptiness. She had lost a great love, plus the life she had devoted herself. Her powers she had when she first came to the past were now gone. She retained her techniques but her ability to go wherever, whenever was now gone. She had no idea how she could replace either one.

"What will you do now?" Satori asked.

"I'll probably stay in the village. It will be weird being around when I'm born."

"That's an understatement." Satori said. "But we'll think of something."

"You're looking fit, Hitomi." A voice said behind them.

They turned around and were dumbfounded. There stood her teacher, Uchiha Sasuke.

"I thought I'd never see you again. My powers are gone and I'm stuck here."

"I haven't got time to go into that now." Sasuke said. "But let's just say you passed your final test."

"Final test? I don't understand."

"You didn't just observe like I told you to do. You acted on your instincts and did what was right."

Hitomi just stood there as she processed the information.

"Are you ready to go?" Sasuke asked.

Hitomi turned to her parents. "I have to go now."

Even though they had grown fond of their future version of their future daughter and they didn't want her to leave, they knew that she had to. She didn't belong in this time. She hugged her parents tightly before grabbing Sasuke's arm.

"You better take care of her, Sasuke, or I'll find you."

Sasuke smiled and smirked at Satori's comment. In an instant the two faded from sight, leaving Satori and Yukino standing there. She felt like crying as if she lost someone. Satori noticed his girlfriend's sadness.

"Don't worry. We'll see her again in a few months."

At that comment, Yukino grinned.

The End

Next- Naruto Shippuuden: A Time To Sow


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